Viral gastroenteritis: Causes, pathophysiology, immunology, treatment, and epidemiology

This chapter discusses the causes, pathophysiology, immunology, treatment, and epidemiology of viral gastroenteritis. Acute gastroenteritis is one of the most common illnesses affecting humans and may be caused by a large variety of different microbes. Infection with gastroenteritis agents can be asymptomatic or can be followed by mild or severe disease, including vomiting or diarrhea or both, and can be fatal because of severe dehydration. The spectrum of causative agents differs in developed and developing countries. Besides rotaviruses (RVs) as the main etiologic agent, there are many other viral causes of diarrhea. The main diarrheagenic agents comprise four virus families: RVs, enteric adenoviruses (Ads), human caliciviruses (CVs), and astroviruses. Treatment of infantile diarrhea is mainly by oral or intravenous rehydration. Several formulas of oral rehydration solution (ORS) have been devised and are recommended.